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Through this paper, we examine the redesign process that the building of Nikolaj Church has gone through from the 1960ies, to how it appears today, as Nikolaj Kunsthal. The traces and layers have visible signs of a random design process through time. Nowadays the art centre aims for a coherent atmosphere and sense of place in an upcoming design process. Our analysis of textual data gathered from relevant documents and interviews with key stakeholders, relies on the development of a sociotechnical perspective. This perspective allows us to recognise the various agencies and networks in connection to the design process that emerge from the technical and social aspects, which are analysed. The findings emphasize the building as an actant and a network, that plays a crucial part in the design process.

This paper, seeks to examine the correlation between stock price and public sentiment expressed through social media. Through twitter scraping and pre- processing, sentiment can be extracted from text. The paper will be based on a heuristic approach to natural language processing. Furthermore, the paper will rely on the most common forms of sentiment analysis, using a rule-based and a machine-learning approach as a starting point and weigh these up against each other. Finally, we will continue with the best performing method, and weigh this up against real market data in a pursuit to find a correlation, should one exist. The paper found a sentiment-to-market accuracy 75%. And the accuracy score utilizing the rules-based approach of 72,72%.

Summary The Future About the Past is an examination and discussion of non-traditional ways of engaging with a difficult past. In this case the past in question is South Africa’s and its difficult memories of racism. Specifically it is an analysis of the 2009 science-fiction film District 9, directed by the South African Neill Blomkamp. In the project the idea of depicting history on film is discussed, especially inspired by the thoughts of the historian Robert A. Rosenstone. He argues that film can be depictions of the past – and therefore history in its own right and should not be judged on the same scale as written history. From that starting point, I go on to discuss historiography in a South African context and include thoughts on depictions of South Africa on film and cinematographic examples as such. I attempt to analyse District 9 from a historical point of view, especially focusing on what role the film can play in engaging with a difficult past and what it may say about the white, Afrikaans speaking minority’s view of their past. I conclude that the film has its merits as a way of depicting history, but has an underlying problematic view of history that includes racist stereotypification. The analysis leads to a discussion of the possibility of using film when engaging with a painful past. In this case I use examples from the discussion of depictions of Holocaust and argue that alternative films, for example science fiction, have the possibility of engaging with a difficult past in a better way than mainstream cinema and possibly written history.

In this project, we discuss the phenomenon of UAV warfare. By conducting a discourse analysis of two speeches, one conducted by then counterterrorism advisor John Brennan and one by President Barack Obama, we investigate how UAV use is justified. We briefly discuss the historical background and contemporary public opinion in order to contextualize the discourse presented in the two speeches. The discourse analysis is structured in three analytical categories: how are representations of identity are articulated, how the speakers make claims about the future and finally the specific nature of the justifications of UAV use. Finally, we discuss how our empirical findings relate to the discussion of the changing nature of warfare, as well as we present a brief critique of a position in the current UAV debate. Our main argument in this discussion is that UAVs should be discussed within the social, discursive practice they are used, and not regarded merely as technological objects distinct from the context they exist in.

This project concerns itself with the controversial 12th century saint and abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux, so influential that his contemporaneity has been called ‘The Age of Bernard’. The project bases its method on Gadamer in an attempt to locate the man behind the legend. Working towards this, primary sources have been read, analyzed and contextualized with secondary sources in order to shed light on Bernard as he conducted himself and was seen by his contemporaries. The project concludes that while passing definite judgment on Bernard is impossible due to the limited availability of primary sources, it is possible to produce meaningful theories and interpretations of his letters, miracles and actions as both an abbot and a politician – he truly was a ‘difficult saint’.

This project sets out to investigate the role of security in the Chinese Western Development Plan (WDP) and its application in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, along with the consequences of this for the Uyghur community. The analysis of this project begins by unraveling the historical role of security and the central components in the Sino-Xinjiang relation. Combined, these form the context from which the WDP was formulated and implemented in Xinjiang. Through an analysis of the rhetoric of the WDP we establish that the role of security accords with that of a non-traditional security agenda, as opposed to the previously dominant traditional-military security agenda in Sino-Xinjiang relations. However, this change in the role of security remains rhetoric, as the traditional-military security agenda that re-emerges with the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Global War on Terror not only co-exists with but gains prominence over the non-traditional security agenda of the WDP. As a consequence, the Uyghur population of Xinjiang continues to be sidelined by the Chinese government, despite the promise of the WDP.

The motivation for this project was based on the newly founded movement DiEM25 (Democracy in Europe Movement 2025) and their manifesto. The movement’s ideas and visions are based on the critique of the European Union’s handling of the economic, refugee and migration crisis’, that has been debated throughout Europe in recent years. With their manifesto, DiEM25 has formulated an idealistic alternative vision for the future Europe. This assignment seeks to find answers to what kind of alternative this is. More specifically; which kind of cosmopolitanism is expressed in the manifesto, and which European concept historical traditions this cosmopolitanism builds upon. The analysis conducted in this project will be a comparative concept historian analysis of the cosmopolitan vision formulated in the DiEM25 Manifesto. The assignment concludes that the manifesto entails a potential utopian cosmopolitan vision of re-democratising Europe, and more specifically the EU in our present modern and globalised world. Furthermore, it concludes that the the cosmopolitanism in the DiEM25 Manifesto builds on a long tradition of cosmopolitan ideas, leading back to Immanuel Kant initial ideas of cosmopolitanism, through post world war and the thoughts of Ulrich Beck up until the 21st century and the notion of New Cosmopolitanism.

Through this paper we examine the process of how an object can exist in different spatial contexts, and how these contexts have an impact on the character of the object. Our interest lies in how a specific spatial context has the power to define an object, and vice versa, i. e. how the object can produce an impact over a specific space, defining people’s interaction within that space and with the object. The main focus of analysis is a caravan, which has been part of a redesign and refurbishing of the shelter Mændenes Hjem (under the project Radical Horisontality by artist Kenneth A. Balfelt) and is currently exhibited at Statens Museum for Kunst. By exploring the transition of locations that has experienced this object we are able to define the caravan and its spatial environment – in the past and now. Further on we argue how the use of art and beautification of spatial surroundings influence the users, when at the same time we discuss the social practices and processes of contemporary art. Additionally, we challenge observations and findings through a theoretical context about the interaction with museums (art)objects. Our findings suggest that there is a distinct change of identity of the caravan according to its spatial context. This change is based on the current consideration of the caravan as an art piece, although the original intention – to create a space that promotes a unique social interaction among users/visitors -, and the use of it as such is fairly consistent.

Paradoxically, despite its reputation as a “green” leader, Denmark has the highest levels of waste and incineration per capita, as well as low levels of household recycling. Incineration ranks low on EU and Danish waste strategies, due to its negative environmental impact. While much social science research on waste management focuses on behavioral change at the individual level, this study explores how urban Danish household recycling habits and waste management, with an inclination towards incineration, are shaped by social, political and historical structures. Using a reflexive hybrid constructivist-structuralism epistemology, inspired by Bourdieu’s Logic of Practice, Schnaiberg’s Treadmill of Production and Hannigan’s Claims-making Process, the research project utilized an inductive qualitative approach. A three-pronged research design included: an exploration of the current household recycling practices using research diaries and secondary data, a historical inquiry into notable shifts in waste management related to incineration since 1850, and a case study of ARC/Amagerforbrænding, a Danish incineration facility. The study found that, due to a complex interweaving of the investigated structures, incineration was favored over recycling within the institution of waste management, with the exception of times when risk has felt sufficiently “real” by Danish citizens. This occurred through the political claims-making process, where the public collectively misrecognized that the economic benefits of incineration is the driving mechanism and underlying factor behind waste management decisions in Denmark, rather than ambitions to meet environmental goals.

This report illustrates the factors that influence the decision-making processes of individuals whentaking part in the contemporary art market, notwithstanding the risk often attributed to such asset and the economic uncertainty of periods such as the aftermath of Covid-19. By examining the motivations from different perspectives, this report aims to shed light on the dynamics of the contemporary art market and its resilience in the face of economic instability. To answer the research question what factors drive individuals in Denmark to take part in the contemporary art market amidst the current economic uncertainty? We carry out semi-structured interviews with two amateur art buyers, one curator, and two owners of renowned contemporary art galleries. The results show that investing in contemporary art 1) yields socio-economic advantages 2) is influenced by trust towards the artist, and 3) is a matter of familial background. The research emphasizes how these factors influences the perception of risk in the individuals when investing in a piece of contemporary art. The purpose of this study is to identify the key factors that affect participants' engagement with the art market by investigating their personal motivations, risk perceptions, and investment strategies. The research is also particularly useful and relevant given the current economic uncertainty and its potential effects on the investment landscape. The results of this study will add to the body of knowledge that exists aboutthe contemporary art investment market by giving a more in-depth and precise understanding of the factors that influence people to invest in art despite the current state of the economy.